Engine207Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.Supporting Member

So, I've had this '08 Fender 70's Classic Jazz, since new. It's been my main squeeze since the day I got it. I mainly like the thickness of its neck and the classic Jazz Bass tone. But a few weeks ago, I picked up a Yamaha BB424X. I just fell in love with the almost unfinished feel of its neck. I've been playing the 424 just about every day since. Great, great bass.

Well, I picked up the Jazz to run through a practice and I immediately noticed that I didn't like the feel of its neck anymore. It's plenty fat the way it was before, but the back didn't feel as comfy as the Yammy.

So I did it. I voided the warranty.

Spent about 10 min. with a 220-grit...sanding. I'm not really too worried about the warranty, since there's about zero humidity here. But now, I don't know when my other finished-neck basses will get played, unless I sand theirs, too. I'm not too worried about any devaluing, since I don't have any real expensive stuff...well, except for my '80 Ric 4001. I might not really jack with that one, although its already got a Hipshot bridge, Ric replacement keywinds, and StrapLocks. But then again...I might.

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I wouldn't call it voiding a warranty, but yes. I knock down glossy finished necks with #0000 steel wool until it's more of a satin feel. After a fair amount of playing it usually goes back to a glossy feel only to get hit with the steel wool again.

I did this to my Road Worn P last week. It was already a bit worn, but I love the feel of a super worn in neck.

To the ones wondering about technique, I play my bass fairly low and I have pretty bad left hand technique. My thumb is almost always hanging over the top of the neck lol, so yes, I do drag my hand down the neck.

Engine207Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.Supporting Member

I don't understand why you guys are sanding on your necks. Are you dragging your whole hand down the damn thing or just your thumb?

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I guess I am dragging my whole hand. I tend to like big, fat, baseball-bat necks that kinda conform to and fill the space between my palm and my fingers. I didn't realize how wrong I was. Is it too late to learn the right way?

I once had a beautiful Ibby BTB 5er, but the neck was so thin, that the only way I could play it was to hold my thumb in the place where my palm goes. It was a dealbreaker, despite how nice the bass was made (and sounded). I wound up getting a fat-necked Jazz V.